Wow, so this is the game that pretty much started it all. Doom is a must have on the Xbox Live Arcade.
The graphics obviously are outdated, really rough, just plain bad, and for the most part 2-D; which is probably why it's so fun. Everything looking bad and old is what makes this game what it is and when I compared the PC version and Xbox 360 version with screenshots the graphics seemed to be very close to the same which is exactly how I'm assuming most people like their Doom, well at least I do. Of course I haven't played any Doom game before this one.
The sound effects are also outdated and sound pretty bad, but that's what makes this game what it is. The constant grunts of enemies can get really annoying at times, but it's not too bad. The guns sound pretty decent for their age I suppose. The music on the otherhand is actually pretty cool and fits the game really well. Rock n' Roll is what I like and it's in this game and is actually pretty cool, not the best stuff in the world but cool none the less.
The value of this game is really good especially for a Xbox Live Arcade title. The Deathmatch and Co-op will probably have you back for more. Challenging achievements may also increase your playing time as well as the leaderboards if that's what you like. The ten dollar price tag is easy to forgive for such a classic game.
The gameplay resembles that of any other standard FPS now days except of course that its much older and you can't do everything. It's basic run n' gun gameplay. The key differences between Doom and the newer FPS is the fact that you can't look up, down, or zoom in. You can't crouch or jump either. Other than those key factors the game is pretty standard. The auto aim feature fixes the looking up or down problem and elevators fix the jumping problem. The crouching problem is fixed by the sprinting feature which allows you to avoid enemy fire just as easy if not easier than crouching. The singleplayer and Co-op modes are the same except in Co-op you may have up to four people in one game whether it be over Xbox Live or just Splitcreen. The computer AI is virtually none existent, but that is to be expected from a game that is over thirteen years old. The shooting action is quite satisfying for a good while, but can get tedious when trying to take down bigger enemies. For those familar with the Doom series probably would recognize most of the enemies even if the only Doom game you've played was Doom 3; hell, I recognize some of them from just looking at the box of Doom 3 and then looking at my TV screen. All the enemies pretty much behave the same which kind of leads to stale gameplay after awhile, but hey it's Doom,it's old, it's fun, and a good way to kill some demons. This game is suprisingly lengthly too. The four episodes are all quite long and challenging especially on higher difficulties. Doom basically puts you at the start of a level and pits you against hordes of demons and you must battle your way through a moon base and eventually hell itself. In most levels you'll be required to find various keys to unlock doors. Enemies can get quite numerous at times and that's the key reason why Doom is a pretty challenging game at times. You may save whenever you want which is nice, but if you forget there is no check point system so be cautious. Your ultamite goal obviously in each level is to reach the exit and therefore advancing to the next level. There is a boss fight sort of thing at the end of each episode, and are quite fun and challenging, but sometimes a little too lengthly. The lengthly boss battles aren't really a drag though, but sometimes it seems like fifty plus rockets should kill anything. The campaign is actually quite interesting and it's just too bad the your pet rabbit had to die.
The multiplayer is just as good as the singleplayer provided it's not lagging. Lag can be a pretty serious issue in this game, but when it's not lagging it's really fun. Sometimes people are cheap in the game and overuse the rocket launcher. Spawn killing is almost natural in this game, because the spawns are kind of screwed up, but with all that aside and your with some good buddies or just a good lobby it can be a great experience. Doom is a classic to many and with it's release on the Xbox Live Arcade brings hope for me and the release of my favorite game Quake on the Xbox Live Arcade. That said Doom is an enjoyable experience whether in multiplayer or singleplayer and should not be missed by anyone who has ever enjoyed a First Person Shooter regardless of your thoughts on graphics.